PlaceMakers allows carbon offsets
PlaceMakers, New Zealand’s leading and largest supplier of building materials and hardware, has partnered with the Aucklandbased startup, CarbonClick, to help customers offset their carbon emissions.
Now, when shoppers make a purchase from PlaceMakers’ online store, they’ll be given the opportunity – in the shape of a big green button at checkout – to offset their purchases’ carbon emissions.
PlaceMakers joins several highprofile early adopters of CarbonClick’s technology, including AA Smartfuel, Mighty Ape and Karma Drinks (formerly Karma Cola).
The problem CarbonClick solves isn’t, in itself, unique. Air New Zealand, for example, allows its customers to offset their emissions via the FlyNeutral scheme.
CarbonClick’s link with Air New Zealand isn’t coincidental. Co-founders Jan Czaplicki and Paul Brady first met while working at the airline.
Now, both men are using their skills to make it easier for brands, which might not have the same level of resource as Air New Zealand, to offset their carbon emissions.
Business owners with a Shopify site can add CarbonClick’s green button to their checkout page by installing a free plugin.
Traditional websites are encouraged to contact CarbonClick directly for installation support.
CarbonClick chief executive Dave Rouse said: ‘‘An increasing number of consumers are looking for ways to try to do the right thing, reduce and offset their footprint.
‘‘Some businesses are responding to this with favourable results, while other businesses are taking a lead on it, which helps create a positive awareness of sustainability and choices consumers have.
‘‘Consumers are loving it and responding with loyalty and alignment to these brands, and although it’s only early days for CarbonClick, we are observing steady increases in these trends,’’ Rouse said.
CarbonClick’s offset projects are split 50/50 between New Zealand permanent or native forestry projects, and ‘‘high-quality’’ certified international projects.